Newark, N.J. -- Tuesday was Media Day at the Super Bowl. For veteran NFL reporters, it's the day when the league sends in the clowns.

Few of the thousands of media representatives in attendance
cover the NFL -- or for that matter sports -- on a regular basis. So the annual
two-hour session is always one of the most interesting and bizarre afternoons
in sports.

It's an unprecedented amalgamation of media, international reporters
standing shoulder to shoulder with former players and snarky entertainers
moonlighting as reporters, all jockeying for the attention of the players and
coaches. It's always a wild scene and this year might have been the craziest
ever because the event was held in the Prudential Center, a smaller venue than
the traditional football stadium.

The mob around Peyton Manning's podium was several people
deep as photographers, videographers and reporters sardined themselves against
the metal security barricades in front of the stand.

As usual, Manning deftly worked the scene and never was
caught off guard by the inanity.

The craziest question of the day came from an elderly female reporter for "The
Queen Latifah Show," who asked Manning if he would give her a hug. Manning didn't hesitate and obediently descended the
stage, pushed through the crowd and warmly embraced the woman, much to her delight.